Fumes in cab .. not exhaust, more like parafin!

[woodcock]

Last year we experienced a 'smell' of this in the cabin. We took it to the local dealer and although the Service Advisor agreed with the presence of a smell, the highly trained technician returned a Little Britain (computer says no!) "Fault Not Found" on the job sheet!! Yesterday morning after starting the car and driving approx 2 miles before idling for 3 minutes then driving again (slowly). Within yards of this drive off the cabin started to fill with this smoke. I stopped immediately, turned off the engine and popped the bonnet. No smoke of evidence in the engine compartment and nothing obvious under the car. The only thing I did do was turn off the heat/cool vents and fan. I have driven the car today with no issues - and no venting, as I felt this was bringing the fumes/smoke in.

Here's the question - Has anybody any idea what this is. The local technician had no idea either .... HELP PLEASE!

 

[geoffc]

Am assuming its a Diesel....Its the aux heater not igniting properly. Normally a faulty glowplug. Lots of smoke/smell from exhaust on car nearside, just in front of rear axle.

 

[PSV6]

Smell

Thats very strange...

 

[woodcock]

Am assuming its a Diesel....Its the aux heater not igniting properly. Normally a faulty glowplug. Lots of smoke/smell from exhaust on car nearside, just in front of rear axle.

Geoffc - Yes it is a diesel and that sounds likely. Are you a technician? Is this a common fault?

 

[geoffc]

Geoffc - Yes it is a diesel and that sounds likely. Are you a technician? Is this a common fault?

No not a tech......but Ive had a MK1 Galaxy with the same fault, and also had a Mk1 Sharan and a MK2 Sharan. The Galaxy had a faulty glow plug, the MK2 Sharan had a faulty circulation pump....caused the aux heater to flame out, lots of smoke too...that one shows up as an over temperature fault. The early cars (MK1, pre 2000ish) dont have a circulation pump to fail! Very common prob....easy to fix too!

 

[woodcock]

Geoff ... You are a star .. thank you very much, you have put my mind at rest. Hugh

 

[seremotors]

some auxiliary heaters have different glowplugs than others - the common one is only around £23, but its easy to disconnect the unit completely as a quick remedy

 

[nigelc]

Last year we experienced a 'smell' of this in the cabin. We took it to the local dealer and although the Service Advisor agreed with the presence of a smell, the highly trained technician returned a Little Britain (computer says no!) "Fault Not Found" on the job sheet!! Yesterday morning after starting the car and driving approx 2 miles before idling for 3 minutes then driving again (slowly). Within yards of this drive off the cabin started to fill with this smoke. I stopped immediately, turned off the engine and popped the bonnet. No smoke of evidence in the engine compartment and nothing obvious under the car. The only thing I did do was turn off the heat/cool vents and fan. I have driven the car today with no issues - and no venting, as I felt this was bringing the fumes/smoke in.

Here's the question - Has anybody any idea what this is. The local technician had no idea either .... HELP PLEASE!

HI
My vw sharan has the same fault. Two garages( and £300 later) could not find the fault.
It does help when i switch off the heater and vents. I still hear what sounds like a jet engine under the vehicle but the smell keeps out of the cab. I would like to know how to de activate it

 

[nigelc]

some auxiliary heaters have different glowplugs than others - the common one is only around £23, but its easy to disconnect the unit completely as a quick remedy

HI
I have this problem wth my vw sharan. Is it a garage job to disconnect the auxillary heater or diy.

 

[seremotors]

HI
My vw sharan has the same fault. Two garages( and £300 later) could not find the fault.
It does help when i switch off the heater and vents. I still hear what sounds like a jet engine under the vehicle but the smell keeps out of the cab. I would like to know how to de activate it

Just unplug the electrical connection to the auxiliary heater so the diesel will still run through it but the motor wont try and spin up.

 

[nigelc]

Many thanks for the tip. Vw told me the smell was normal. I dont think so.
I will buy a seat next time

 

[vwsharan]

hi guys, this is my 1st post and i hope someone can help me.

I have recently bought a vw sharan 1.9tdi 1999, which so far has been more than a headache. The mpv has been giving off the fumes smell which is coming into the vehicle and has made us kind of sick.

Since i never knew what the problem was, i decided to get the cabin, fuel, air, oil filters changed. I also got the engine washed. Checked the engine for any leaks as well as the underside of the vehicle for any problems. I thought i was going mad!

8 days later, I thank you guys as I finally find this forum with the issue that has been all along what i now know as the Aux heater, with a mini exhaust.

http : // img827.imageshack.us/img827/1076/p1010885.jpg

Even though this is a seat forum, i'm sure the vw sharan is the same as the alhambra, so i'm hoping someone can answer a few of my questions:-

1. Does the aux heater provide heat for the rear passengers?
2. Is the aux heater needed for winters only or all the time?
3. Can there be any damage or problems if i disconnect it?
4. Where can i disconnect the electrical connection from? i.e. can someone show me a photo of its location?
5. Where is this aux heater glowplug?

thank you for helping.

vwsharan

 

[vwsharan]

surely someone can help me with this pls?

 

[MarkWales]

not got this problem with ours

thought I would show your pic tho

 

[PompeyPete]

Strong Fuel/Oil smell in cockpit at idle...???

Hi, Just picked up an 07 Plate TDI FR and my wife...Who drives the car more than me...!! has told me that she notices a strong fuelely type smell on idle....? Any sterrage as to what this could mean? It is under warranty but i want to be able to sound like i know my stuff when i take it back. Thanks in advance.

 

[L20NFR]

Fuel smell

I've had the same problem but got it sorted yesterday.

My problem was the heat exchanger on the back off the engine , it used exhaust gases to heat up the diesel and water when cold , theres a small waste gate valve on the back and the bearing on it had collapsed and leaking exhaust gases everywhere.
To find this waste gate valve you have to look from under neath the car , it right beside the turbo and has a silver material heat shield over it , if its all black with soot from the exhaust gases then thats your problem. If not check up higher as these engine can have exhaust gasket failure.

To add insult to injury my car has been at a Seat dealer twice , once for the DPF regeneration with a faulty sensor on it ( under warranty ) and then a second time a few months later as they didnt put the turbo seal on correct and it failed. Both times they didnt see all the soot all over the back off my engine.

Only reason i got the fault sorted is i got my car fitted now with a miltek DPF removal pipe and remap'd and the mechanic seen my problem straight away with the heat exchanger ( and he's a joe blog's mechanic )

Now the car goes like an FR on steroids with no smell off diesel fumes inside

 

[sarahwoodfield]

Have established that I have a faulty glow plug in my Aux heater, by disconnecting the heater and the problem of clouds of black smelly smoke disappearing. However cannot seem to find out if it can be replaced or cleaned rather than fitting an expensive replacement motor.....?

 

[seremotors]

It can be replaced but there are a few different part numbers for the auxiliary heater, thus a choice of glow plugs. The only way we ever got it right first time was to plug the car into the workshop diagnostic system, which gave us the corect part number to fit, or strip it and get a number off the original glow plug.

 

[baafi]

No not a tech......but Ive had a MK1 Galaxy with the same fault, and also had a Mk1 Sharan and a MK2 Sharan. The Galaxy had a faulty glow plug, the MK2 Sharan had a faulty circulation pump....caused the aux heater to flame out, lots of smoke too...that one shows up as an over temperature fault. The early cars (MK1, pre 2000ish) dont have a circulation pump to fail! Very common prob....easy to fix too!

hi I got the same problem, how can it be fix?.

 

[MarkWales]

how do you get access to the glow plug?

our sharan aux heater does not work at all, exhaust is always cold.